EASTER [RESURRECTION SUNDAY] MESSAGE
Let us pray. Dear Lord God, our Redeemer, we gather together this morning in remembrance, worship and celebration, ever thankful for our salvation. We delight in the company here: this family of believers, our church family, which You have brought together to worship again this Sunday in remembrance and awe of the resurrection which delivered us from death. We pray for those who could not be here with us this morning, that You would comfort and protect them until we see them again.
I’ll begin with three short scriptures which I believe frame the delivered hope and promise of this day.
Hsa 13:14a [describes God’s promise to us] “I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death.”
Psa 49:15 [shows us the psalmist’s steadfast confidence in the promise] “But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me.”
2Cr 5:21 [Tells us how and why God realized this promise through Christ Jesus] “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Thank God for His grace!
Now being given this great gift and being commissioned to go out and spread the Good News we look to His example.
1JN 2:6 [Tells us] Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.
By God’s design and the example of Jesus Christ we see that people are not to be won over to His kingdom by clever arguments, scary tracts, grand presentations and productions or by the sheer insistence that they are going to hell if they do not share certain theological positions. But following His example they are to be won over by the way we demonstrate the reality of His saving grace within us in our daily walk.
In Eph 4:32 we read: “Be kind to one another, just as God, in Christ, has forgiven you.
And Eph 2:8-9 reminds us that “For by grace you have been saved, through faith; and not that of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Thank God for His grace!
As we celebrate this day, the day of the resurrection of our Lord, we ask the Lord to keep us in constant communion with Him, uplifting and encouraging us to let each other know what the Lord has done for us. Grant us blessed fellowship during our meal together this morning. Prepare our hearts for our worship service, the day of remembrance ahead of us, and a rededication to love and serve in Your honor as You have loved and served us.